A failed asylum seeker convicted of raping a 14-year-old schoolgirl is attempting to stop his deportation from the UK by claiming he is bisexual and would face persecution if returned to Egypt. Karam Majdi, 27, is facing removal from the UK after serving part of a seven-year prison sentence imposed for the rape of a teenage girl he met online in 2017. An immigration tribunal has heard Majdi argues he cannot safely be returned because of his claimed sexuality.
Asylum Claim Rejected
Majdi initially claimed he was an unaccompanied child from Syria, telling authorities he had fought in Aleppo before arriving in the UK by small boat in 2016. However, the Home Office rejected his asylum application after a language assessment concluded he was not Syrian.
Rape Conviction
The tribunal heard Majdi was living in a hostel in Hove when he travelled to East croydon/" title="Croydon" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Croydon, where he raped the 14-year-old girl. At his criminal trial, the sentencing judge described the offence as an “opportunistic and vile attack.” The court heard Majdi pinned the girl down despite her protests, leaving bruising to her thighs. He was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, served part of that sentence in a youth offender institution and was released in 2021. He remains subject to lifetime notification requirements under the sex offenders register. During the rape trial, the court also heard Majdi used the online name “Mano Love” to contact underage girls.
Deportation Challenge
In his latest appeal, Majdi claims he is bisexual and would face persecution if returned to Egypt. The tribunal heard the Government initially accepted that claim following a professional assessment. However, the Home Office has since withdrawn that concession, arguing the claim is not credible. A Home Office barrister told the tribunal Majdi had only provided evidence of relationships with women and had failed to substantiate claims of relationships with men. The court heard Majdi said messages and photographs supporting his claim had been lost after he misplaced his SIM card.
Further Convictions
The tribunal also heard Majdi has been convicted of further offences since his release from prison, including possession of cocaine and driving without a licence or insurance. He is also due to appear before a court next year over an allegation of possessing cannabis. Majdi continues to maintain he is Syrian and has produced an identity document which he said he obtained from a man at a mosque in Northampton. The Home Office disputes the authenticity of the document and argues that, even if he were Syrian, conditions in the country have changed significantly since his arrival in the UK.
Decision Expected
Majdi was initially granted anonymity because of his asylum proceedings. That order was later lifted after the Home Office argued it was in the public interest for him to be identified, noting that he had already been named in previous reporting. Judge R M Abdar is expected to deliver a decision next month on Majdi’s claims regarding his nationality and sexuality, and whether he can lawfully be deported from the UK.
